


We're not dating, but, I wouldn't mind if we were

by Creativityx



Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, I'm in love with her I mean what we're best friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25956220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativityx/pseuds/Creativityx
Summary: Lilbea fake dating AU.Lilith, with the weight of failing to claim the halo, failing to be the halo bearer, needs to impress her mothers in another way. Date someone Lilith, the words cutting. And so she does, impulsively, irrationally, she claims that she is in a relationship, with Beatrice.
Relationships: Sister Lilith/Sister Beatrice
Comments: 21
Kudos: 56





	1. We're not in love

It was the same conversation her mothers threw at her since she didn’t get the halo, since Shannon was given the privilege, the _right_ , to be the halo bearer. ‘Find someone to bring into this family, date someone.’ This time was different. She was _tired, tired of their belittlement, that she wasn’t good enough without the halo._ So, she spoke up, three little words, ‘I’m dating Beatrice,’ slipping through her lips.

Lilith, is horrified the moment she speaks them, Cecilia responding, ‘Oh, Beatrice? Bring her to visit, Lily’. The affection cutting, _L_ _ily, never in love, only when they wanted something from her._

It was a quick, panicked walk to Beatrice room. She would understand, they were friends, they could just, fake date until her mothers grew tired of her, they always grew tired. Beatrice sits at her desk, cleaning her weapons, each motion precise, focused, Lilith noticed, _had she always moved that way?_

She ended those thoughts. _They were friends, she just… respects Beatrice._ She reaches out, touching Beatrice’s shoulder, uncertain. _She can’t back out now._ So, she confesses, admits that she had told her parents that they were in a relationship, that they wanted her, _them_ to visit and Beatrice? An odd look crosses her face, it almost seemed like.. _she couldn’t put a word to it,_ and she utters a single word, ‘Yes.’

‘Yes? Beatrice you can’t possibly mean…’ Lilith lets out, Beatrice? Agreeing to date her, _fake date her she reminds herself._ She didn’t have to do this, she shouldn’t, it was her fault, she shouldn’t have let her _emotions, always her emotions_ get the better of her.

‘Yes, Lilith, your mothers, they can be loving, but, I know how they treat you, we’ve known each other for so long, how could you think I wouldn’t?’ It’s gentle, comforting, she doesn’t deserve her, a friend like Beatrice.

‘You’ll do it?’ Lilith lets out incredulously.

‘I will, we’re _friends_ Lilith, I’d do anything to help you.’ They were just friends. This would be fine, they could get her mothers to ignore her again and go back to the way it was, partners in combat and nothing more.

Lilith phoned her parents. She and her _girlfriend_ would visit in a few weeks. They could prepare.

They quickly found out their knowledge of romance? limited. So, in the moments they had to spare, the two of them sat there, observing other residents of the cat's cradle, noticing the subtle motions of intimacy so many of the other girls had shared. When their hands _grazed_ on one of those days, they told themselves it was just for practice, nothing more.

Soon, observing wasn’t enough, she wanted _direction action._ Lilith had a brilliant idea. If they could fool their friends into thinking they were in a relationship? Her mothers? That would hardly be a challenge. Beatrice? Like the first time, accepted. She didn’t question it, the same words leaving her mouth as the first time, ‘Yes.’

Time passed, It was late at night, both of them reconvening to Lilith’s room to plan, _a battle plan,_ Beatrice had called it, a playful smile on her face, and Lilith, for the first time in a while, couldn’t help but laugh.

It started off with _touches._

Beatrice and Lilith were called to the sparring mat, almost equals in their abilities, they were to show the new recruits how to fight, to block, to protect.

Lilith started the match, she moved with passionate fury, quick, heavy in each attack. Her hand skimming Beatrice’s cheek in one of her onslaughts.

Beatrice, she could dance around Lilith’s watching, her _but this, Lilith thought, felt like more than just watching her attacks._ She would get close, hit with precision, before diving out of reach again, a smile _, she was smiling, she noticed,_ making its way onto Beatrice’s face.

The fight continued, neither able to land the final hit, but, when Lilith _smiled in return, a light in her eyes, suddenly, she had won the match._ Lilith, pinning Beatrice to the ground, as was customary to end the match.

Both of their chests heaving from the exertion, Lilith remained on top of her. She stayed for longer than necessary, _they were dating (fake dating Lilith),_ Of course she would want to stay with her girlfriend a little longer, _touch her a little longer_. They weren’t dating, but.. _to everyone else, they were._

Beatrice rolls out from under her after _minutes, was it minutes?_ Had passed, offering her hand to Lilith to help her stand. She accepted it, and held her hand for a while, girlfriends did that. _But friends didn’t._

‘A good match Lilith, you bet me this time, but the _next,’_ Beatrice teased, a devious look in her eyes, _‘You won’t be so lucky.’_

If Lilith flushed in response? Letting out a stuttered ‘I’d like to see you try _Beatrice’_? It was because that’s what girlfriends were supposed to do, they’re not dating, but everyone _else_ should think they are.

Soon, they had grown accustomed to visiting each other before going to bed. They would talk for hours, lying next to each other on one of those tiny cots, Lilith would snark ‘Did you see _that_ recruit, Beatrice? She could hardly lift the staff’ and Beatrice, she would nod, and laugh, and maybe she would run and thumb along Lilith’s hand as she spoke but, they needed to be comfortable with this if they were going to trick her mothers.

Finally, the weeks had passed and it was time for them to visit Lilith’s mothers. They were prepared, they had practiced. Everything was covered, Beatrice _battle plan_ was flawless.

Their reunion more painful then Lilith could have imagined.

‘Lily? Darling, it’s so so good to see you!’ Cecilia let out, moving to embrace her daughter in ways she hadn’t in years. Lilith was stiff, her hands barely concealing their shake as she moves them to respond to her mother’s embrace.

Galilea was much more closed off, a reminder of what she had lost when she failed to claim the title of _halo bearer._ ‘Lilith’ was all she let out. It was more words that she had spoken to her face in some time.

Cecilia, ignored her wife’s words, moving the conversation onwards ’Oh! And Beatrice! It has been so long, my! You were only children when you last visited!’ She spoke, grasping Beatrice’s hands as she spoke.

Beatrice could only nod in response, the dichotomy of the two women difficult to manage.

When the women lead them both into the house, _the two held each other’s hands._ This time, it didn’t have to be for any purpose _the feeling of comfort a necessity._


	2. Can you heal this hurt?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They made it. They're at Lilith's home. All they have to do is prove that they're dating, let her mothers grow tired of it all and leave, return to the cat's cradle and go back to being friends. This should be easy.

The moment the entered the house, Lilith couldn’t stand the formalities for any longer. A terse nod at her mothers and she was pulling Beatrice by the hand, _the hand she still held,_ towards her room. Her mothers had told them to share. _That’s what girlfriends do,_ Cecilia had told her _, a challenge._

_Cecilia reminded them to come down later for dinner, of course, what better way to spend the night than with the two women who only find her bearable when she’s in a relationship?_

Beatrice sat on Lilith’s bed as she began to pace, _how could she bring Beatrice into this mess?_ Lilith let her feelings out, ’We don’t have to do this you know, _I’m sorry she wanted to say,_ we can leave, it’s not worth it.’ _She said those words,_ and yet, it was _worth_ _it._ She wanted to prove to them that she was valuable, worthy of their respect.

_The touching hasn’t stopped._

Beatrice slowed her pace, her hand firm, insistent in its grasp on her wrist. ‘I want to.’ She said, she always said so little words about this and Lilith? She was too afraid to ask, afraid of what it meant, _afraid that she would reject her the moment she let out the first questioning word._

_Beatrice, again, comforting her with her touch, but she can’t ask her why._ Beatrice speaks, calm, collected, her expression giving nothing away, ‘We’ve prepared for this, for them, our _friends_ believe we’re dating, why wouldn’t they?’

She’s right. She’s always right, they could do this. She could go back to being _ignored._ They walked into the dining room holding hands.

Dinner was a tense affair. Like all the interactions Lilith had experienced with her mothers since her _failure._ ‘Beatrice, you and Lilith hmm? How strange in all your years together not once I had considered that the two of you would seek a relationship,’ Cecilia spoke, curt, targeted. Galilea didn’t need to say a word, Lilith could see the calculating look in her eyes as though she had already won.

Lilith was ready to intervene. She had to end this; Beatrice shouldn’t deal with this. But, before she could speak, she felt it, Beatrice’s hand squeezing her thigh, comforting, stopping her motions. Why hide it? Lilith thought, her mothers needed to know they were together, _their affection should be visible._

Beatrice stood, her posture akin to someone preparing for battle, ’Yes, we were younger, much younger, I hadn’t considered it all, hadn’t considered _loving her._ However, many years have passed, and your daughter is _kind, understanding, she shows me respect **,**_ she’s a brilliant fighter, and she stands for the OCS, what it represents she represents and, in the moments we spend together I feel appreciated.’ Beatrice let out the onslaught of words,

Lilith, amazed, _she thought of her that way? No. They’re not dating she’s just appeasing her mothers._ But, the _look in her eyes, the passion on her face?_ How could she fake that?

Her mothers were stunned to silence. Beatrice refused to give them a chance to speak, pulling Lilith from the table and leading her out of the room. Each step focused, though it was clear she was just wandering. Lilith took control, leading her to a room they had once known so well. The sparring room.

Lilith, for once, had to ask, needed an answer, ‘Beatrice? Why-’, she didn’t know where to start, what words she should say.

Beatrice turned, they stood face to face, but _not close enough._ ‘You _don’t_ deserve that Lilith. You never deserved that,’ was all she said. Lilith left it at that, there was nothing left to say, _nothing safe she could say._

They took up their sparring stances and began the fight, _fighting away from their struggles,_ their fight much the same, but Beatrice, she wasn’t _smiling,_ she looked _frustrated?_ Lilith changed her pace, she was taller, it didn’t make sense, but she tried to perform the dance-like steps Beatrice was so known for.

She got hit, _a lot,_ and perhaps, she tripped over her own feet. But Beatrice, at the sight of her, spread out on the ground, let out the _brightest laughter_ Lilith had ever heard, soon after, she felt herself joining in, dragging Beatrice to the ground with her and, side by side, they just _laughed._

They pulled themselves off the floor what seemed to be hours later, stumbling into Lilith’s room, their smiles still clear on their faces. They didn’t bother to change, hopping into Lilith’s bed, face to face, just like when they were children, _they knew it was different this time, they weren’t children._ Yet, they ignored it, the comforting embrace they shared giving them the most rest that had experienced in years.

The next day, Lilith’s mothers had declared they wouldn’t be around for the day. Lilith had huffed under her breath once they had left, ‘They’ve probably put up camera’s just so they can watch us,’ _they never respected Lilith’s privacy that much was certain._ Beatrice, as she had done so many times, just bumped her arm against Lilith’s, a soft smile and pulled her along.

Lilith decides, since her mothers weren’t home, she’d give Beatrice the _grand tour._ Beatrice had seen it all before but her amusement was clear, and when Lilith offered her the crook of her arm, her eyes twinkling at the prospect? Well, how could Beatrice do anything but hold her and let herself be led?

It isn’t a long trip, they joke about what they did as children, _oh Lilith remember the vase we broke? Your mothers were furious!_

Until suddenly, they come across the picture frames, all of Lilith, on display. There she is, _two,_ _happy, joyful, her mothers embracing her. There she is on her 7th birthday, her clothes ruffled, an ear-splitting grin on her face. But then… there she is at 14, her training with the OCS having started, her clothing without a single crease despite having used it to spar. There she is at 17, she isn’t smiling, the picture of her framed to paint her as she needed to be, perfect, worthy of the halo._

When Beatrice felt Lilith start to shake beside her, quiet, she refused to let out a sound, _tears are a sign of weakness Galilea would tell her when she cried after a particularly gruesome day of training with the OCS._ Beatrice wouldn’t let her do this to herself. They hadn’t done it in a while, both trying to perfect the way they were perceived, but now? Beatrice wrapped Lilith in her arms, one hand making their way around her back, a firm, reassuring pressure, the other, tilted Lilith’s head up and wiped away the tears that began to spill.

Lilith let it out, she cried, she let out the _ache, the pain_ she had been carrying for so many years, _in Beatrice’s arms._ It would have been fine, they could have ended it at that, and yet when Lilith looked at Beatrice in her eyes? Saw an emotion there she could only describe as… _love?_ She placed on hand on her cheek, the other, holding the arm wrapped around her, and, she _kissed her._

_She was kissing Beatrice she realised._ She pulled back, the apology on the tip of her tongue, the fear running fierce. But Beatrice pulled her back in and returned the kiss, this one, quick, _hard._ There was no gentle grazing, they were pushing into each other with blind desire. _She didn’t think it would end, didn’t want it to end._ But when Beatrice, _bit her lip,_ she couldn’t help the breathy sound that escaped her, and Beatrice? She pulled away.

_She liked her back Lilith thought. **They had kissed.**_ Yet, when Beatrice pulled back, she saw panic, fear, and before Lilith could let out even a single word, she was gone, she was slower than Beatrice and the house was nothing short of a mansion, _Lilith knew that._ But she refused to let it end here. S _he loved her and wasn’t going to let her go so easily._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know, I guess I have a lot of feelings about this AU


	3. If I glimpse into the past can I find our future?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beatrice has fled to somewhere in the mansion. Lilith searches for her and reflects on their childhood, and maybe, just maybe they learn that loving each other doesn't have to be a challenge

She had searched at least a quarter of the mansion and had found no sign of Beatrice. She was _good_ , good at not wanting to be found. It was from this that Lilith found herself wandering down the hall, _the hall where they had spent so much of their childhood together._

There it stood, _the vase, still there._ A strange thought. Her mothers had kept _this_ damaged thing in their home and _not... her._

_Why had Beatrice mentioned the vase?_

They were only eight. Beatrice had claimed Lilith’s training staff, _her mother’s having bought it for her when she claims she needed it to protect her bea,_ and had shot off down the hall. They were both giggling, having no need to hide their mirth. When Lilith finally caught up to her, she grabbed Beatrice around the waist and sent them tumbling to the ground. The only problem? _The staff went flying out of Beatrice’s hands and in that moment, straight into her mother, Galilea’s favourite vase._

The panic the two had as it fell to the ground was as extreme as a pair of eight-year-olds could muster. Lilith was _afraid,_ her mother would be furious, she wouldn’t get to see bea again. But Beatrice always had a plan _always had those ‘battle plans.’_ A quick scour through Galilea’s office and they found it. A tube of superglue. _They could fix this._

She doesn’t know how her mothers didn’t notice their absence where they picked up all of the shards and locked themselves into Lilith’s room.

With the pieces scattered across her bedroom floor, they got to work. Lilith would hand her a piece that _vaguely_ looked like the correct one and Beatrice would put _perhaps too much,_ superglue on the piece before sticking it on the remnants of the vase.

If Lilith or Beatrice would feel their face flush whenever their hands grazed as they worked together? _It was just from the exertion of it all, that’s what Lilith told herself. But now? Lilith isn’t so sure._

‘Oh! Hand me that piece Lily, I think I’ve almost got it,’ Beatrice said with glee and Lilith was all too happy to oblige anything to _avoid her mother finding out._

When the vase was finally pieced back together? The girls grinned at their work. It was _flawless. There was no way Galilea would even notice._ They placed it back on its pedestal and planned to go on with their day as if it had never happened.

_It only took an hour. Galilea did, in fact, notice._ She pulled the girls from Lilith’s room to stand in front of the vase. ‘What. Is. This,’ Lilith remembered, her mother flush with anger as she was graced with their work. Their eyes grew wide, _she noticed they thought, she was furious they realised._ Beatrice, ever the defender was ready to take the brunt of the blame, Lilith, too afraid to speak.

But soon, Cecilia had entered the hall, determined to see why her wife and the girls were being so loud. Seeing two chastised children, her wife red-faced, _and the horribly stuck together vase?_ She let out a loud laugh, holding onto her wife for support, _she had never seen anything so poorly made._ ‘I’m sorry darling, you cannot truly expect me to be serious _at this,’_ She let out between gasps, and when she looked back at the vase, was almost on the floor trying to contain herself.

Galilea, seeing her wife in such a state couldn’t help the small smile that made its way onto her face, her arms wrapping around Cecilia’s waist to support her. ‘Never again, girls. No staff’s in the hall.’ On that note, she shook her head and half carried her still giggling wife away from them.

That night, the two girls, as they always had, hopped into bed face to face and, Lilith realised, maybe there were _feelings there, maybe, when she looked at Beatrice’s face, she wasn’t feeling friendship._

_‘Goodnight Lily,’ Beatrice murmured out, her voice slow and tired._

_Lilith moved a little closer at that, their heads touching and just before she fell asleep, she whispered out, ‘Goodnight Bea.’_

Now? When Lilith thought of the vase, she was thinking of Beatrice’s hands, the soft laughter she would let out, her willingness to protect her. _Her willingness to still protect her she noted._

_It had been hours._ She didn’t think she would find Beatrice at all. Yet, she tried something else, _entering the room she hadn’t stepped in for years, the art studio._ There she was, sitting there on one of the couches, the cover pulled back and dropped on the floor.

‘Beatrice?’ She let out; her stance ready to stop her from leaving. She had caught her before and she would certainly do it again to keep her here, _with her._ Beatrice didn’t move. Lilith, taking a chance, sat on the other end of the couch. She could wait.

Eventually, Beatrice spoke, ‘I’m sorry,’ Lilith opened her mouth, ready to retort, she felt a soft hand cover he mouth, blocking the words.

‘It was selfish of me to indulge in this, to make you feel obligated to kiss me, _I know this isn’t real, it’s okay to not-‘._ Beatrice let out, her voice trembling on the last words.

Lilith wouldn’t be stopped this time. She removed the hand and reached for Beatrice’s other, holding them firmly in her own, _they’re still touching, she doesn’t want to ever stop touching her._ ‘I’m not. I _kissed you_ because I wanted to **_bea_ , **because I don’t want this to be fake,’ Lilith let out, refusing to let herself cry once she sees the tears start to fall from Beatrice’s eyes.

‘I’m starting to realise that,’ Lilith spoke, taking a steadying breath, ‘That, even in our childhood, my feelings _towards you,_ were more than just friendship. I love you my _bea.’_ She had closed her eyes as she spoke, and when she finally opened them it was all Beatrice. She was close, _she could kiss her._

It was Beatrice who kissed her instead, they didn’t rush, it was slow, full of years of _aching, yearning for the other,_ not realising they had felt the same way, each touch had Lilith _melting_ , there was no doubt in her mind, _she loved her._

When Beatrice pulled back, an almost shy expression running over her face, _refreshing, new,_ she returned her truth to Lilith, ‘I’ve loved you since we were children, I couldn’t think of wanting anyone else, and when we sparred, when we were sent together on missions, I just _knew you would be there,_ supporting me, I wanted to _support you, so I said yes._ I’m here with you, **_lily,_** the two of us.’

’The two of us,’ Lilith repeated, testing the words, _yes, she could get used to this._

Another night, they sleep in the same bed again. This time is different, there’s no doubt of the other’s affection. Lilith is taller, but she lets Beatrice hold her, run kisses down her cheeks, her hands down her back in soothing motions, she let herself _love and be loved._

They were still to remain for a few more weeks. It was easier. _They would always be touching._ Beatrice would wake her up with a kiss, they would sit outside in the sun, or, more frequently than not, spar in the sparring room, never serious, always trying to one-up the other with who could perform the most ridiculous but equally damaging move against the other.

It was the middle of the day, the two of them having just finished a sparring match, flushed and admiring the other when Galilea and Cecilia walked in. She knew that look, _the doubt, the lack of pride in her, they still thought this was fake, **it wasn’t fake.**_

Cecilia spoke, her voice dripping with the usual falsities, _when did this become normal?_ ‘I have seen the two of you have become _quite close,_ in your visit. Perhaps I misjudged, you two genuinely share a fondness for each other, _don’t you?’_ Lilith _hated the tone,_ hated where this would lead.

‘I think, it is only expected that we see the _loving couple kiss.’_ Her words still unkind, _what had Lilith done to deserve this?_

Lilith was ready. Prepared. She could kiss Beatrice and finally, they would _ignore her again._ Their relationship wouldn’t stop once they returned to the cat’s cradle, but they would be free from _her mothers._ She made the move, intent to capture Beatrice’s lips but, in a swift moment, she was pulled behind Beatrice instead who held a fury in her eyes, unexpected, _dangerous._

‘No.’ Beatrice said, short, curt. _Is that how she would end this?_

’No. You do not get to talk down to Lilith like that. She has done _everything_ to prove herself to the two of you, _to prove her worth,_ and every day you belittle, you insult, you degrade her achievements. She may not be the _halo bearer you tried to craft,_ but somehow, despite you, _she is **good,**_ **she would lay down her life for any of the sisters…** and, with the way you speak to her, _I’d think you’d let her, a martyr in your house,_ for the **pride** of it all.’ Beatrice refused to relent, each word cutting deeper than the last, reminding them, revealing to them, what they had done. How they had hurt their daughter, how she **would not** hurt her.

Cecilia and Galilea were brought to tears, holding each other in support, ‘Lilith if you had _only told us,’_ Cecilia started.

‘I _tried- I always tried,_ But when I would answer your calls, when _I would try to speak,_ you wanted to hear of who I had beaten, who I was yet to beat and _when I would claim the halo,’_ Lilith let out her voiced pleading, begging her mothers to finally _hear her._

‘I was _right here_ ; I have _always_ been right here and all you ever wanted to see was who I would be in the future.’ She was shaking, there were no tears left only a _yearning_ for her mothers’ approval. Beatrice, steadfast by her side, her hand touching her arm. It wasn’t an overly expressive form of affection; they didn’t need it. Lilith could feel her understanding in it, her _love._

Her mothers had no word to offer, the _regret on their face was almost enough. But it couldn’t make up for years of this pain._ ‘We’re leaving, back to the cat’s cradle. I think this visit has been long enough,’ was all Lilith had left to say before holding Beatrice’s hand and leading her to her room to pack.

When they left an hour later her mothers were out of sight, she didn’t bother looking. If they wanted forgiveness, they could work for it, _she wasn’t going to let them hurt her like this again and with Beatrice at her side? She truly believed that they never will be able to._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emotional over lilbea? check. Just wanting them both to be loved? absolutely.


	4. I’m in love you with and more than okay with that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They return to the cat's cradle with their newfound love and grow comfortable expressing it, openly, without fear and with the acceptance of their friends.

They return to the cat’s cradle and this time, walk into the main building hand in hand, confident in their show of affection, knowing it’s real, _Lilith thought_ , knowing that when she holds Beatrice’s hand, they’re doing it out of _love for each other._

There isn’t much fanfare over the event, it was just _ordinary._ Beatrice was required to speak to Mother Superion about some of the new recruits and with a gentle squeeze of her hand plus a soft, apologetic smile, was whisked away.

It was from this that Lilith found herself sitting by Mary’s side, both of them watching Ava’s dismal attempts at sparring with Camila, who cringed every time her form was particularly bad, knocking her over without any remorse. _She was having fun, they could both see that._

It was Mary who spoke up first, ’So, you and Beatrice huh? Was about time, all those longing glances? Worse than Shannon and I and I know we were terrible, I saw you roll your eyes at us more than I can count.’ Yes, Shannon, Lilith noted, gone and replaced with… a stumbling disaster of a halo bearer. _Yet, while the ache of losing Shannon was there, there wasn’t one anymore over not having the halo for herself. She could only think of Beatrice’s words, a reminder that she was more than that._

Lilith let out a soft laugh in response, ‘Yes, I suppose I do have feelings for her,’ she sighed at Mary’s incredulous look, ‘I love her.’ That drew out a smile, a look Lilith hadn’t seen on Mary in a while, _hopeful?_

‘Well glad one of us got some luck, God knows I need that shit if I’m dealing with Ava today and _every other day,’_ Mary said sounding like it was the end of the world, her hands flying about as she described it, but Lilith could see the _fondness there every time Ava fell over herself._

‘Language,’ Lilith admonished, with Mary nudging her arm playfully in response. But her heart wasn’t in it, glad to see Mary finding something, _anything,_ that brings joy into her life after all she has been through.

Lilith was about to continue, to hear more from her friend when a **loud crash** broke them apart. It was Ava. She had somehow sent herself flying with the power of the halo, straight into Camila’s meticulously organised weapons rack. She heard Camila shout something in Latin that deserved _language_ far more than Mary’s words did.

‘God, I’ve got to deal, _with all of that,’_ Mary said, shaking her head, _though smirking at the words pouring out of Camila’s mouth._ ‘Don’t think we’re done catching up, Lilith, maybe next time you can help with our _talented halo bearer.’_

Lilith held back her words, _even if the not having the halo didn’t hurt anymore, There. Was. No. Way. she was dealing with that mess._

After catching up with some of the other residents of the cat’s cradle she found herself back in her room. To think, only a few weeks ago she was requesting that Beatrice _fake dated her_ in order to please her mothers. She couldn’t imagine ever going back, existing in a world where Beatrice wasn’t her’s, where she wasn’t Beatrice’s.

Hours passed and she found herself lying idly in bed, thinking about nothing in particular, _not needing to think about anything but Beatrice._ Soon, she felt a weight on her left side, Beatrice having slipped in to join her.

She turned herself over so they were face-to-face, ‘Hi,’ she let out, _god couldn’t she think of anything better to say?_

Beatrice just crinkled her nose affectionately and responded back, ‘Hi.’

The simple words sent them into a flurry of quiet laughs, trying to avoid waking anyone up.

She didn’t know what to expect. Beatrice pulled one of her hands into her own, running idle patterns on it before she tilted her head up. She didn’t have to say a word, _they will always be touching._ Lilith pulled her close and drew her into a kiss, _it was a goodnight kiss, simple, new and easy, she could grow used to this affection._

When they pulled apart Lilith tucked Beatrice’s head under her chin, pulled the covers over them and they fell asleep, safe and comfortable in each other’s arms.

When morning came, it was back to routine, but Lilith knew it was different. They were called to the sparring mat. This time? There were no disadvantages, no hidden feelings, everything was open. Once they had got into their starting positions, Mother Superion called for the match to start.

They moved with a new fluidity around the other, neither able to land a hit, knowing what to expect and when to dodge. They were completely in sync. _Realistically, Lilith shouldn’t have let her guard down, should have noticed._

Suddenly, in a move unlike anything Beatrice had pulled, she lunged directly for Lilith. Her move? _She kissed Lilith, then and there, in front of them all before flipping Lilith on the mat and holding her down._ Beatrice had won, Mother Superion had called time and she could hear their friends catcalling but they were still locked in their embrace, Beatrice leading the kiss, _she could feel her smile against her lips._

It was cut short by Mother Superion slamming her cane down on the ground next to them. ‘ _Girls,_ this is not the _kissing mat,_ it is a _sparring mat,_ I expect you to spar on it.’

Beatrice, still on top of her, with a streak on deviousness, responded, ‘But Mother Superion, _we are sparring,’_ Lilith thinks she would have been able to hear Mother Superion’s pained groan from miles away.

Beatrice, her eyes sparkling with her newfound mischief, pulled Lilith up off the ground and ran from the room with her, _hand in hand._

Looking at their linked hands Lilith couldn’t help but remember, Lilith at 3, sharing her birthday cake with Beatrice. Lilith at 8, repairing the broken vase with her. At 14, being praised for her abilities in combat. At 17, joining Beatrice on their first mission, her hand comforting as they faced the challenge together.

_They had always been together, she had always loved her. It had just taken her some time to realise it. Time to realise who had supported and **loved her**_ for her whole life.

Over time, their love remained stable and constant. With the pleading of Beatrice, they helped train their new, _clumsy_ halo bearer. Her mother’s kept scarce contact, slowly trying to rebuild their relationship and Mary? Every day she smiled in the presence of Camila and Ava, the three of them becoming a tight-knit family who would go to the ends of the earth for each other, _not that Ava hadn’t tried to see if she could phase through the ground to find it (she had)._

With Beatrice and those three at her side? She finally began to realise what it meant to be loved and have a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we come to the end of it all, hope you liked it. I enjoyed writing it and bringing their relationship to life

**Author's Note:**

> It sure is happening, Lilbea is such a soft ship, I love them


End file.
